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China’s ruling Communist Party gave its clearest signal yet that it plans to bring Hong Kong under its full control, with a top official saying Thursday that Beijing wants to “improve” the system that has allowed the territory to enjoy a level of autonomy for the past 23 years.

After steadily eroding Hong Kong’s freedom of assembly and expression, and independent legal system, the party now appears to be readying to change the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution. ...

China’s ruling Communist Party gave its clearest signal yet that it plans to bring Hong Kong under its full control, with a top official saying Thursday that Beijing wants to “improve” the system that has allowed the territory to enjoy a level of autonomy for the past 23 years.

After steadily eroding Hong Kong’s freedom of assembly and expression, and independent legal system, the party now appears to be readying to change the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution. ...

Did China's original agreement with GB was for the current system to stay in place for 20 years after hand back in 97 thereabouts?

Zionism is racism as defined by the UN, Israel by every dirty means available steals land and water, kill Palestinian freedom fighters and civilians, and operates an apartheid system to drive more Palestinians off their land

The Mainland does want that terrible contagious virus of democracy and accountability spreading across the Hong Kong border - the only vaccine against it comes out of the barrel of a gun. Machine guns are excellent for mass outbreaks.

Zionism is racism as defined by the UN, Israel by every dirty means available steals land and water, kill Palestinian freedom fighters and civilians, and operates an apartheid system to drive more Palestinians off their land

I thought years ago that Mainland would not tolerate the strong protest movement in HK.

Zionism is racism as defined by the UN, Israel by every dirty means available steals land and water, kill Palestinian freedom fighters and civilians, and operates an apartheid system to drive more Palestinians off their land

Normally China plays a long game. I expected them to be content with sitting it out until 2047, when the takeover would be expected and legal.

Did they worry about being legal in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea? If they wait to 2047 the HK tail would have wagged the China dog into democracy.

Zionism is racism as defined by the UN, Israel by every dirty means available steals land and water, kill Palestinian freedom fighters and civilians, and operates an apartheid system to drive more Palestinians off their land

ProPublica reports that China has set up 10,000 fake Twitter accounts to exert influence on the web. They are attempting to portray themselves as world leaders in how they handled the pandemic. They have lent some countries billions for infrastructure projects that maybe cannot be repaid due to economic collapse due to the pandemic. If China takes over those projects it will make them more unpopular. It is not so simple

Zionism is racism as defined by the UN, Israel by every dirty means available steals land and water, kill Palestinian freedom fighters and civilians, and operates an apartheid system to drive more Palestinians off their land

THE PEOPLE of Hong Kong want two things: to choose how they are governed, and to be subject to the rule of law. The Chinese Communist Party finds both ideas so frightening that many expected it to send troops to crush last year’s vast protests in Hong Kong. Instead, it bided its time. Now, with the world distracted by covid-19 and mass protests difficult because of social distancing, it has chosen a quieter way to show who’s boss. That threatens a broader reckoning with the world—and not just over Hong Kong, but also over the South China Sea and Taiwan.

On May 21st China declared, in effect, that Hong Kongers deemed to pose a threat to the party will become subject to the party’s wrath. A new security law, written in Beijing, will create still-to-be defined crimes of subversion and secession, terms used elsewhere in China to lock up dissidents, including Uighurs and Tibetans. Hong Kong will have no say in drafting the law, which will let China station its secret police there. The message is clear. Rule by fear is about to begin. ...

THE PEOPLE of Hong Kong want two things: to choose how they are governed, and to be subject to the rule of law. The Chinese Communist Party finds both ideas so frightening that many expected it to send troops to crush last year’s vast protests in Hong Kong. Instead, it bided its time. Now, with the world distracted by covid-19 and mass protests difficult because of social distancing, it has chosen a quieter way to show who’s boss. That threatens a broader reckoning with the world—and not just over Hong Kong, but also over the South China Sea and Taiwan.

On May 21st China declared, in effect, that Hong Kongers deemed to pose a threat to the party will become subject to the party’s wrath. A new security law, written in Beijing, will create still-to-be defined crimes of subversion and secession, terms used elsewhere in China to lock up dissidents, including Uighurs and Tibetans. Hong Kong will have no say in drafting the law, which will let China station its secret police there. The message is clear. Rule by fear is about to begin. ...

When HK did those radical protests about a year ago there was no chance that China was going to tolerate repeat performances of that, especially as they effected the colony's economically and China has a lot of money tied up in there. Qi has made China a personal dictatorship whom Trump is so jealous of. Expect the worse for democracy, rule of law and international peace.

Zionism is racism as defined by the UN, Israel by every dirty means available steals land and water, kill Palestinian freedom fighters and civilians, and operates an apartheid system to drive more Palestinians off their land

In the United States, the coronavirus shutdown has not stopped black people from dying unjustly. On May 25, George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis, begging for his life with a police officer’s knee on his neck. On March 13, EMT Breonna Taylor was shot to death by police officers who burst into the wrong apartment. In February, jogger Ahmaud Arbery was killed by two vigilantes.

This week, anti-racist demonstrators around the US took to the streets, and Minneapolis arrested one of the men responsible for Floyd’s death.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, police brutality is prevalent as Beijing moves to end the island’s relative autonomy from communist rule. The relatively liberal territory is a pivot point in the global economy, where capital flows between the US, Europe, and mainland China. The importance of this relationship is a prominent reason China hasn’t moved more quickly to seize full control of Hong Kong.

The parallels between America’s struggle with white supremacy and Hong Kong’s fight for political rights are found in the demand for human dignity and for holding the powerful accountable. In fact, the parallels between China’s government and that of the US may disturb those who haven’t been paying attention.

Now, China is betting the world’s pandemic distraction will allow it to effectively annex Hong Kong—and is hoping that US president Donald Trump will not risk further destabilizing trade by ending the unique treatment of Hong Kong under American law that makes it a major port of trade and financial center.

Predictably, Trump has shown more concern for profits than people. In a press conference on Friday that many anticipated would address America’s racial divide, he instead promised vague retaliation against China for its action in Hong Kong—but nothing that is likely to deter Beijing by truly slowing trade.

In the same week, Trump invoked the specter of the Jim Crow south in tweets about Minneapolis, declaring that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” That would be bad enough in his own country, but is also a signal to Chinese president Xi Jinping and autocrats around the world that the American president condones their brutal tactics.

In the United States, the coronavirus shutdown has not stopped black people from dying unjustly. On May 25, George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis, begging for his life with a police officer’s knee on his neck.

Michael, on this week's PLanet America dated 27th May towards the end there are all the stats for Chinese and overseas students in USA and possible security facets of it.

Zionism is racism as defined by the UN, Israel by every dirty means available steals land and water, kill Palestinian freedom fighters and civilians, and operates an apartheid system to drive more Palestinians off their land

... To secure a stable partnership with China in the iron ore trade, Brazil may come up with preferable prices and terms that will dwarf those offered by Australia, especially against the backdrop of trade friction between China and Australia, which many fear will hinder the trade of iron ore ...